The Deuter Guide: the Outdoor Professionals choice

First up, I must make it clear that Deuter have in now way sponsored this post. We have bought all 3 of our Deuter guides and love them so much that we need you to know how brilliant they are! (However, if you’d like to sponsor our (Hev’s) backpack addiction mr/mrs Deuter, we will happily comply!)

Our first Deuter guide, the men’s 35+ litre sack is coming on for 10 years old. It’s been used for everything from ice climbing to multi pitch o alpine mountaineering and has even visited Machu Piccu. After 10 years of adventure it’s showing little wear!

Our second is the ladies 30+ litre. It’s yellow and 5 years old. It too has travelled across glaciers, spent many days out multipitching, climbing and has also been run over by a minibus. Twice. Within weeks of each other. At the same venue. Oops. Because Hev is a tad forgetful. Still, it’s not showing it’s age!

The latest edition to our rucksack family is the ladies guide lite 28. Another stunner of a bag, great colours, comfy to wear and not yet showing signs of its (sometimes daily) time in the hills. Purchased for shorter days rambling in the Brecon Beacons with groups and the minimalist days where lots of kit isn’t necessary.

Yes, it’s safe to say we like the product. This isn’t a ‘we just got a bag and needed a blog post so let’s review it’ review, it’s a ‘we love this, we’ve literally tested it for years and you need to know about it’ kinda post.

So what do we love?

1. Their hardwearing-ness.

Like we said, we’ve literally used them for years. They’re still in great nick, as comfy as ever and we feel like they may go on forever! (Woohoo)

2. They’re comfy

The guides are super comfy, the padded hip belts, shoulders and back mean that even in the longest day out with a fair load they’re still comfortable. You can’t feel things poking through from the bag and the Big zip down the length of the regula guides means you can easily put heavy things at the bottom and still get to them, allowing you to evenly pack your sack.

3. They have Pockets, but not too many.

The bags have 3 compartments: The main body of the bag where all of your ‘stuff’ goes, The top pocket for things you want to get to quickly and then the pocket hidden under the hood which is great for things you don’t always need but want to get to quickly in an emergency.

The main body of the Guide (but not the Guide lite) has a big zip running down the length of it, allowing access to waterproofs, hot flasks, first aid kits, or anything else you’ve stuffed out of the way thinking you wont need, without pulling everything out of your bag. One of our favourite features.

The top, outside pocket is super spacious. You can fit snacks, a hat and gloves, a big bundle of car keys, your wallet and a map there, provided the bobble on your hat isn’t too big.

4. The ‘+’

On the Guide+ the hood of the bag is extendable meaning you can use a bit of extra space when necessary. The 35+ has been used for 3 day wildcamps, they’re both sufficient for a long day out in winter or a big group day. The extendable hood also means that, when multipitch climbing, you can extend and then poke the hood inside the bag, keeping it out of the way of the back of your neck while looking up for your next moves/belaying.

5. Gear loops

They have them, they’re in a good place and we use them.

6. Really easy to attach and detach stuff to the outside

Not water bottles, jumpers, tents etc. No-one should have that crap hanging off their bag, if they do, they need a bigger bag (or less stuff!). I’m talking iceaxes, poles and skis. They attach quickly and easily, stay secure and are easy to get off in the most precarious of places.

What were not so in love with

To be honest with you, there isn’t a whole lot. The guide lite doesn’t have a big zip down the front which is a big annoying and the hood doesn’t extend to make the bag bigger when it’s got too many jumpers and sandwiches in. But that was part of the deal when we bought it: it’s for shorter days, carrying less stuff!

In conclusion

Buy it. You’ll love it. It’s a versatile, well thought out and designed bag that will last you a good decade of adventures, even if you run it over with a minibus.